Only train when you gain
A different way to handle the in-between times
by David B. Reeder
Dragon #97


U2, 40. DRILL HALL

Anyone who has played the ADVANCED
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS® game for
any length of time has heard about, or
possibly played in, a campaign where characters
attain tremendously high levels and
wander about killing arch devils and making
friends with gods. These ?Monty Haul?
campaigns, where characters are armed
with artifacts, M-16s, and Star Trek phasers,
are clearly abuses of the AD&D® gaming
system. They quickly grow stale as
either the ultra-powerful player characters
grow tired of defeating hoards of demons
and dragons in one afternoon, or the
Dungeon Master runs out of new challenges.

However, an examination of the experience
system in the AD&D game shows how
some of these ?giveaway? campaigns start
and how one can prevent them. It seems to
take forever for beginning characters to
become 2nd or 3rd level, so the players
pressure the DM to alter the scope of the
game. This makes the game easier and
more fun, so the DM continues to-give
more treasure for facing weaker opponents,
and another Monty Haul campaign is born.

Once the players get past the lower levels,
these abuses are no longer needed, but they
continue because everyone is used to them.
Before long, the situation gets out of hand
and the Monty Haul campaign grows to
maturity.

Take Khalim, a 1st-level dwarven fighter,
as an example of how difficult it is for new
characters to become 2nd level. Khalim sets
out from his mountain home to seek his
fortune. He makes it through the mountains
and forest to the nearest town without any
complications. Once there, he joins six
other beginning adventurers who are also
looking for a little excitement and monetary
gain.

They hear of an abandoned keep taken
over by a horde of goblins and other dark
creatures about a week?s travel west of the
town; they equip themselves and set off.
After several forays into the dungeon and
the trip through the wilderness to the
dungeon and back again, Khalim returns to
the town with a few new scars, enough
goods and treasures to give every member
of the party 680 gold pieces, and 2,135
experience points for himself ? enough for
him to become 2nd level.

The Dungeon Master, who, although
relatively inexperienced, plays by the rules,
turns to p. 86 in the DMG and reads the
section on gaining experience levels. He
must examine Khalim?s actions and evaluate
evaluate how well he performed in relation to his
alignment. The number of weeks Khalim
must train depends on how well he followed
his alignment.

Khalim has behaved perfectly. He led his
party well, used his dwarven abilities to
detect a trap, and, while he never hung
back from a good fight, he made sure never
to attack anyone who might be of good
alignment. A rating of ?excellent? means
Khalim needs only one week of training to
become 2nd level. All he must do is find a
higher-level fighter who will train him. The
standard cost for training a 1st-level character
is 1,500 gp per week. If no higher-level
fighter is available, he can train himself, but
it will take two weeks and the materials
necessary will cost 3,000 gp. While grateful
that his performance was rated as excellent,
Khalim does not have 1,500 gp. He might
be able to serve as a henchman in exchange
for training, but that would split up the
successful adventuring party of which he is
a member.

Khalim is not as bad off as the cleric who
refused to heal another member because of
an earlier argument. He is so far off his
alignment track that he will have to receive
four weeks of training ? which will cost
him 6,000 gp, more money than these new
characters have ever seen. The cleric could
throw in his robes and live a very happy life
as a merchant if he had 6,000 gp.

Khalim?s party discusses the problem and
decides to go out in search of more treasure,
knowing it will be a while before they will
all become 2nd level. The DMG (p. 86)
stresses that they cannot gain additional
experience points while waiting until they
can pay for the training: ?Once a character
has points which are equal to or greater
than the minimum number necessary to
move upward in experience level, no further
experience points can be gained until the
character actually gains the new level.?
When they find this out, the players in the
group become even more distressed.

To make matters worse, when they have a
chance to become 3rd level, the cost for
each week of training will be 3,000 gp. This
means that for Khalim to become 3rd level,
he will have had to pay 4,500 gp: 1,500 to
become 2nd level and 3,000 to become 3rd
level. Khalim has to acquire this much gold
? over and above any gold pieces that he
can translate into experience points ? to
?pay his way? to 3rd level. When he
reaches the experience-point ceiling for a
given level, he has to continue adventuring
to gather the gold to finance his training.

The time it takes for characters to collect
their training money is time wasted, in
effect. They cannot gain experience points
? even though they continue to use their
skills and may even have to risk their lives
— and any treasure they find will either
have to be sold to pay for their training or
for their daily upkeep; food, lodging, clothing,
spell components, and weapons take
some of their needed earnings. Only a
limited number of monsters exist that are a
fair match for a group of 1st-level characters,
so being stuck at 1st level becomes
repetitive and boring. It seems that, properly
played, a 1st-level character will not
reach 2nd level for a long time.

The DM, who sees that he is losing the
players? interest, realizes he must do something.
It is at this point that he takes the
first step toward a Monty Haul campaign.
Whether from the players? urgings to do
something and stop being ?unfair,? or as
the DM?s own idea, the next group of orcs
the characters kill happened to be guarding
a chest full of 8,000 gp, instead of the normal
copper or silver, and a magic item that
can be sold for additional gold. By some
coincidence, this is just enough money to
pay for everyone?s training.

This may not seem like a terrible transgression,
but when the characters need
training to become 3rd level, the DM will
have to give them more gold. Normally,
low-level characters should be given copper
and silver treasures so they will have something
to look forward to ? gold and magic.
Giving away gold and gems this early in the
game will disrupt its balance. If gold is
given away in large amounts, magic generally
flows much more freely as well, allowing
characters to grow ultra-powerful and
creating a Monty-Haul campaign that
quickly becomes tiresome for both DM and
players.

How should a DM find a happy medium
between a game that is so difficult that it
drags and a game that is so easy it is not
worth playing? A simple change in the
frequency of character training can take
care of this problem, making the game
easier to play while still being realistic.

It seems a little unrealistic that characters
must train between every level. What does a
character gain between 1st and 2nd level?
Fighters do not gain a new weapon proficiency,
magic-users or clerics do not gain
new spells, and even monks do not gain any
abilities.

The only constant benefit of advancing in
levels is the gaining of new hit points. But
one does not ?learn? to have more hit
points as the result of training. In contrast,
characters can improve their lot in other
ways when they advance from one level to
the next ? ways in which they actually do
learn something, such as how to use a different
weapon or how to cast more powerful
spells.

When a character?s abilities are improved
or expanded from one level to the next, he
must receive instruction and training to be
able to master the new skills. But since new
abilities are not gained at every level, why
should characters have to train every level?
If a fighter does not have the opportunity of
attaining proficiency with a new weapon
between 1st level and 2nd level, why does
he need additional training with weapons he
already knew how to use? If practice makes
perfect, then he has just had a whole level?s
worth of practice in the weapons and abilities
he possesses.

The same goes for magic-users. A 1stlevel
spell caster with a book of six spells
cannot use any new spells when he becomes
2nd level, but he can use the old spells more
often. This extra number of spells should be
attributed to the practice he?s gained during
1st level, not to a one-week training period.

Characters should only have to undergo
training when they gain a new ability. For
lighters, thieves and monks, this would be
every time they gain a new weapon proficiency.
For magic-users and clerics, this
would be before the level at which they gain
the ability to cast a new level of spell.

Instead of training before every level,
fighters, paladins and rangers, who gain a
new weapon proficiency every three levels,
would have to receive training before becoming
4th, 7th, and 10th level. After 10th,
this training can be in the form of selfconducted
training and/or study, as the
DMG says. For fighters and paladins, 7th
level is also when they can start attacking
three times every two rounds, so the training
is doubly appropriate.

For thieves and assassins, this training
would be done after the character had accumulated
enough points to become 5th level
and again before 9th level. Training after
9th level can be done by the character,
without a teacher.

Unlike fighters, thieves and assassins
have abilities which do change at every level
? their chances to successfully complete
any of the special thieving abilities. Picking
pockets, moving silently, and the other
thieving skills are abilities that a thief has at
1st level. They become better at these functions
every level, as a fighter becomes better
with a broad sword each level, but they are
not new abilities. Training is only needed
when something new is introduced, such as
a new weapon.

Thieves and assassins can often receive
training at their guild. While many playercharacter
thieves wander too much to belong
to a guild, having a home base to
return to is always a good idea. In less
densely inhabited areas and small kingdoms,
fighters may have a hard time finding
another fighter of sufficient level to train
them, but often even the smallest city supports
a thieves? guild.

The monk, the other class that needs
training each time a new weapon is mastered,
should receive training after every
other level: at 3rd level, 5th level, 7th level,
etc. After 7th level, a higher-level monk is
not needed to train the character. Although
the monk does gain a number of other
abilities as he rises in level, these are not the
kind of abilities that can be obtained by
training. Some of the monk?s abilities are
made possible by his strong physiology, such
as immunity to diseases, poison, haste or
slow spells, and the ability to heal himself.
His other abilities come from his mind:
masking from ESP self-induced catalepsy,
resistance to telepathic and mind blast
attacks, and immunity to geas and quest
spells. These abilities come from the stringent
lifestyle a monk must adopt and maintain;
they cannot be taught per se.

Spell casters are a different story. Magicusers
and illusionists have very little use for
weapons; as they reach higher levels, the
need to clutch a dagger or a staff diminishes
even further. Clerics and druids, on the
other hand, depend on their weapons for
offense and their spells for defense.

Magic-users and illusionists need training
only before the level at which they would
gain a new level of spell. This means magic-
users need training when they qualify for
3rd level, 5th level, 7th level, 9th level, 12th
level, 14th level, 16th level, and 18th level.
At 12th level and above, the magic-user can
accomplish the training on his own.

Illusionists must receive training when
they qualify for 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 12th,
and 14th levels. Once they reach 10th level,
as it says in the DMG, illusionists do not
need a higher-level illusionist to help them
train.

Although clerics and druids must train
when they receive new weapons, as well as
when new levels of spells are received, the
frequency of training for them is not that
much greater than that for magic-users and
illusionists. It is the greatest for druids, but
this is because they progress in spell levels,
so rapidly.

A cleric should receive training before
becoming 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th,
16th, and 17th level, and every four levels
after that. After 9th level, a cleric can study
without the aid of a higher-level cleric. A
druid must be trained before becoming 2nd,
3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th, 12th, and 13th level,
and does not need to be trained by a higherlevel
druid after reaching 12th level..

With this system of character training,
costs for training are still figured out as
shown in the DMG. The weekly cost of
training is the level of the character needing
the training multiplied by 1,500 gp. Characters
are still rated by the Dungeon Master
as excellent, superior, fair or poor. Characters
Characters who are rated superior or excellent are
still able to train themselves, though this
takes twice as long and costs twice as much.
This new system would make the game
easier and more fun, and characters should
be able to afford their training costs without
having to keep big bankrolls.

In this system, Khalim the fighter will not
need training until he is about to become
4th level. If he is rated as excellent, the
training will cost him 4,500 gp. To become
4th level, Khalim will need to accumulate
more than 8,000 xps in addition to the
training fee. It still won?t be an easy task to
come up with the 4,500 gp ? but under the
system in the DMG he would need twice
this amount to pay for all his training up to
4th level.

Even if Khalim does not save enough
gold to pay for his training while he?s out
earning experience points, he will only have
to ?waste? time before 4th and 7th level,
not before every level. And the DM won?t
feel obliged to make gold easy to find,
which lessens the chance of things developing
into a Monty Haul campaign.

The hardest challenge facing a character
may be finding someone to train him. Any
character who is training another one must
have successfully completed the training
period following the one in which the student
is now involved. This means a magicuser
training another to use 3rd-level spells
must himself be able to use 4th-level spells;
a fighter learning his fifth weapon (4th
level) must be trained by one who has mastered
his sixth weapon (7th level).

While fighters and magic-users of 7th
level might not be hard to find in many
campaigns, 12th-level magic-users and
10th-level fighters are probably rarer. Highlevel
magic-users tend to lock themselves in
their towers to develop spells and enchant
items. High-level fighters are often busy
protecting their keeps or raising armies to
fight for their lord. Since few schools exist
for high-level characters, player characters
often must seek out these busy lords and
wizards and convince them to train lowerlevel
characters.

This can set the stage for some interesting
adventures. A high-level magic-user who
would rather spend his time creating a new
spell might agree to train another magicuser
in return for cleaning out a nest of
harpies or anhkhegs that have been bothering
farmers on the western part of his lands.
A fighter that cannot afford to leave his
keep might be able to use the services of a
lower-level fighter to perform some task in
return for his training.

Thus, the benefit of these different rules
about training extends into the campaign at
large ? keeping costs down by lowering the
amount of gold an adventurer needs to
advance in his profession, and keeping
interest high at the same time by providing
material for different sorts of missions that
those well-trained characters
? and able ? to take on.

MAY 1985
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Class Struggles:
Another look at between-levels training
by Mark Kraatz

The current system for training in the
AD&D® game is an expensive one. Characters
have to train before each new level at
prices which are sometimes more than the
characters can afford to pay, especially at
low levels. An alternative to this system
was presented in an article by David
Reeder in issue #97 of DRAGON® Magazine.
Although this article made training
somewhat more affordable, the costs that
some character classes had to pay at low
levels were still quite high. Consider for
example, a druid who gains a new spell
level at the second level of experience and
again at third level. According to Mr. Reeder
?s system, training is required for both
of these levels at the costs listed in the
DMG. If the druid needs to train two
weeks for ?each of these levels, this would
mean a total cost of 9,000 gp to advance to
third level, This is a little much to ask of a
2nd-level character.

A character should only have to train for
a new level when he gains something
tangible from doing so. An additional hit
die, or improvement on an attack or saving
throw table, is not something for
which training should be required. Such
benefits should be attributed to the experience
that a character has to obtain to gain
the level in the first place. On the other
hand, there are some things for which
training definitely is required. It wouldn?t
make sense for a character to learn how
to use a new weapon just by adventuring.
Surely this is something which must be
learned through some form of training.

A solution to these two problem areas is
a new training system, described in this
article. The need for training is not based
on the level of a character, but rather on
the abilities which the character gains
upon going up a level. Improvement in a
character?s existing statistics is achieved
without the need for training. However,
such things as the gaining of a new
weapon proficiency or a new spell level do
require training. The cost of training
depends on what ability is being learned.
These costs have been designed to make
training affordable at all levels, especially
the low ones. Since training is needed to
gain abilities and not levels, characters
have more freedom to choose when to
train. This is because a new level can
usually be gained (with no new abilities)
without the need for immediate training.

Many of the benefits that are gained
upon going up a level are granted without
needing to train for them. This is based on
the theory that much of what a character
gains can be attributed to actually using
and practicing his abilities in the world at
large. After surviving a few sword fights,
it is reasonable to assume that a character
has become a better fighter, so his ability
to hit an opponent should improve. Likewise,
after picking a few pockets, it is
reasonable that a thief's chance of doing so
again should improve. Such benefits as
additional HD, new attack and saving-throw
numbers, and the ability to memorize
additional spells of a level already
known are gained in this manner. The
only things for which it is necessary to
train for are the gaining of a new weapon
proficiency, a new spell level, and certain
special abilities.

Rating a character's performance
    When a character is eligible to gain a
level, the DM must rate the character's
performance for the level on a scale of 1 to 4.
This number is arrived at in the same
manner as detailed on page 86 of the DMG.
This value is called the experience rating.
In order to properly evaluate a character's
performance, the DM should do a rough rating
after each session. Then, when the character
is eligible to gain a level, the DM can
assign an experience rating for the character's
overall performance at a certain level
based on these numbers.

    If a character has played at his current
level for a number of game weeks
greater than or equal to his experience
rating, then he may gain the "automatic"
benefits of additional HD, new attack
numbers, and so forth. However, if this is
not the case then none of these benefits
are gained until such a period has passed.
Note that this time does not include any
time spent training and should be spent in
pursuit of worthwhile adventure. This one
to four weeks of "required" adventuring
time is simply a guideline and can be extended
to any reasonable number of
weeks by the DM, should he fell that the
character concerned is not actively seeking
adveture. Unworthy pursuits, such as
sitting in an inn for a few weeks, are not
the stuff of which heroic tales are made!

    Once a character has gone up in level, he
may then train, if need be, for any new
abilities.

Training guidelines
    Training is needed in order for a character
to gain the ability to use a new weapon
or to cast spells of a new level. In some
cases, training is also required before
certain special abilities can be gained as
well. For a detailed list of those special
abilities which require training, refer to
the class-by-class enumeration at the end
of this article.

In order for a character to train for any
new ability, it is necessary to find a
teacher. As a general rule of thumb, thuis
must be someone who can already perform
the ability that is to be gained. For
example, if a [wizard] wishes to learn
how to CAST 3rd-level spells, he can only
learn this from another who can already
CAST [wizard] spells of 3rd level. Typically,
a teacher can be someone of
the same class as the character, whose
level is at least equal to what the character
is trying to attain.

The time for any training, be it
for a new weapon, spell level or special
ability, is always 1 to 4 weeks. The
actual time that is required for training is
dependent on the experience ratings that
the character in question has received.
This amount should be calculated as the
average of all experience ratings received
since last training for a similar abiilty. For
example, the training time required for a
fighter to learn a new weapon at 7th
level is based on the average of his experience
ratings received since he last trained
for a new weaponi at 4th level.

The costs listed in the following tables
may initially strike the reader as being
rather high. This is actually not the case,
as can be seen by breaking down the
costs. The weekly cost listed for the training
of any ability can be broken into two
parts, each representing half. The first
part represents the fee required by the
teacher. Since higher-level teachers are
required for abilities which must be
trained for at higher levels, this cost must
increase at a suitable rate. The second
part represents the costs of materials
needed as well as any sacrifices and/or
donations that are also required. Since
abilities gained at higher levels are generally
more powerful, this cost must likewise
increase.

Training costs, then, do not always have
to be exactly the values shown on these
pages. If one is able to self-train for an
ability, then the training will only be half
the usual cost, since there is no teacher
who has to be paid. Further, depending on
the circumstances surrounding the training,
a teacher may decide to increase his
fee, or may decide to waive it altogether
(thus halving the usual cost).

New weapon proficiency
To train for a new weapon proficiency, a
teacher must be found. This must be
someone who is already proficient in the
weapon that is to be learned and whose
base ?to hit? number (not including magic,
strength, dexterity or other modifiers) is
equal to or less than the student?s. As an
example, a 7th-level fighter who is proficient
with the long sword can teach another
fighter who has just gained 7th level.
However, if this same fighter was to be
taught by a thief, the thief would have to
be at least 13th level.

Training to use a new weapon will take
one to four weeks as described previously.
The cost of such training is listed in the
Weapon Proficiency Table below. These
costs are a weekly rate, based on each
additional weapon learned. These are only
suggested costs and may vary depending
on circumstances.
Weapon Proficiency Table

Weapon	Cost/Week
Initial weapon(s)	500 gp each
First additional weapon	500 gp
Second	1,000 gp
Third	2,000 gp
Fourth	4,000 gp
Fifth	8,000 gp
Sixth	15,000 gp
Seventh	30,000 gp
Eighth	50,000 gp

    Any additional weapons beyond the
eighth may be learned at the cost of
50,000 gp per week.

Since a character normally starts out his
career as an adventurer who is proficient
in one or more weapons, it is not necessary
to pay the 500 gp per week initial
weapon cost. This value is listed for those
characters who decide to study for an
additional class later on in their adventuring
careers. For example, an aspiring bard
who starts out as a fighter and then
switches to the thief class must pay 500 gp
per week for the initial weapons that he
wishes to learn as a thief.

If a character neglects to learn a new
weapon once he is able to, it will have no
effect on further play. He can wait any
length of time before training for the
missed proficiency, and additional proficiencies
and levels may be gained at no
penalty.

Weapon specialization
As described in Unearthed Arcana,
fighters and rangers can choose to double
specialize in a weapon which they have
chosen for weapon specialization at first
level. This double specialization can be
learned from another fighter or ranger
who is at least three levels higher than the
student and has weapon specialization in
the weapon that is to be learned. It is not
necessary for the teaching fighter to have
double specialization in the weapon concerned.
If this is the case, however, then
he need only be of the level that the character
is attempting to attain.

The cost for such training is twice what
the normal cost would be for learning a
weapon proficiency at the same level. For
example, if a 4th-level fighter chooses to
double specialize in the long sword, which
he chose under weapon specialization at
1st level, then this could be learned from
another fighter or ranger who is at least
7th level. The teacher would need to have
weapon specialization in the weapon concerned,
and would charge 1,000 gp per
week.

Cavaliers and paladins gain certain bonuses
with their weapons of choice as
outlined in Unearthed Arcana. Unlike
weapon specialization, however, they do
not need to receive any special training for
this ability.

New Spell Level
    For a character to train for a new spell
level, a teacher must be found. This must
be someone who can cast spells of the
class and level that are to be gained. Clerics
must receive their training from another
cleric of the same alignment.

Training for a new spell level will take
one to four weeks as described previously.
The weekly cost of such training is given
in the New Spell Level Table below. Note
that these are only suggested costs and
may vary depending on circumstances.

New Spell Level Table

Spells	Cost/Week
1st level	500 gp
2nd level	500 gp
3rd level	1,000 gp
4th level	2,000 gp
5th level	4,000 gp
6th level	8,000 gp
7th level	15,000 gp
8th level	30,000 gp
9th level	50,000 gp

The cost for learning 1st-level spells is
normally not used unless the character
learns to cast spells later on in his adventuring
career. For example, when a paladin
reaches 9th level, he gains the ability
to cast cleric spells. The training for this
would cost the paladin 500-2,000 gp depending
on the number of weeks that are
required. He could get this training from
any lawful good cleric or from another
paladin who can already cast cleric spells.

If a character neglects to learn a new
spell level, he cannot gain any more experience
levels until the new spell level is
learned. If a magic-user or illusionist spell
level is gained, at least one spell of the
new level must be inscribed into the student
?s spell books, as this is the actual spell
taught during training. The teacher must
also be able to cast this spell.

________________________________

Special abilities
As some character classes Progress in
levels, they gain certain special abilities. A
few examples of this are a druids ability to
change shape, which is gained at 7th level,
and a thief?s ability to read languages,
which is gained at 4th level. Some of these
abilities are gained without the need for
training, while others must be trained for.

Special abilities which do not require
training generally fall into two categories:
those that are not very powerful, and
those that are considered to be ?innate?
abilities of the class in question. An example
of innate abilities are all of the special
abilities gained by a monk player character.
Special abilities that do not require
training are gained at the same time that
additional hit dice and new saving-throw
and attack numbers are gained.

Special abilities that do require training
can be trained for in much the same manner
as a newly gained weapon proficiency
or spell level. Special abilities that require
training can never be self-taught. Thus, to
receive training, a teacher must be found.
Exactly who can teach special abilities is
outlined in the class-by-class enumeration
section, detailed later. Generally, a special
ability can always be learned from another
of the same class who is of a level equal to
or greater than the level that is to be
trained for.

The training costs for special abilities
approximate those listed for weapon proficiencies
and spell levels. The most inexpensive
training costs 500 gp per week
and the most expensive is 30,000 gp per
week. The cost assigned to such training is
dependent on how powerful the special
ability is and who (i.e., what level) has to
teach it.

If a character neglects to train for a
special ability once he is able to, it will
have no effect on further play. He can wait
any length of time before training for the
missed special ability. Additional special
abilities and levels may be gained at no
penalty. The two exceptions to this are the
training that a druid must undergo to
become a Hierophant of the Cabal, and the
training that a thief must undergo to become
a thief-acrobat. In these two cases,
the character must undertake training
before progression in either of these
classes is possible.
 
 

TRAINING COST TABLE
                                                                                ...............................................................................Weekly Training Costs............................................................................................................

Gained ability by  character class	500	1,000	2,000	4,000	8,000	15,000	30,000	50,000
Cavalier	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17+
Paladin	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17+
Turn undead	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
New spell level	9,11	13	15	-	-	-	-	-
Fighter	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 4	7	10	13	16	19	22	25+
Ranger	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 4	7	10	13	16	19	22	25+
New druid spell level	8, 12	16	-	-	-	-	-	-
New M-U spell level	9, 13	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Barbarian	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17
Cleric	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 5	9	13	17	21	25	29	33+
New spell level	1, 3	5	7	9	11	16	-	-
Druid	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 6	11	16	21	-	-	-	-
New spell level	1, 2	3	6	9	11	12	-	-
Identify plants, animals, pure water & pass without trace	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Woodland languages	3+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shape change & immune to woodland charm	-	7	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hierophant training	-	-	-	-	-	-	17	-
Magic-user	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 7	13	19	25	31	37	43	49+
New spell level	1, 3	5	7	9	12	14	16	18
Create scrolls & potions	-	7	-	-	-	-	-	-
Create magic items	-	-	12	-	-	-	-	-
Illusionist	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 7	13	19	25	31	37	43	49+
New spell level	1, 3	5	8	10	12	14	-	-
Create magic items	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	-
Thief	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 5	9	13	17	21	25	29	33+
Read languages	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-
Decipher magic scrolls	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	-
Thief-actobat	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	-	9	13	17	21	25	29	33+
Thief-acribat training	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-
Decipher magic scrolls	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	-
Assassin	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 5	9	13	-	-	-	-	-
Read languages	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-
Decipher magic scrolls	-	-	12	-	-	-	-	-
Monk	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17+
Bard	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Additional weapon	1, 5	9	13	17	21	25	29	33+
New spell level	1, 4	7	10	13	-	-	-	-
Additional language	4+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

The entries on this table represent the level(s) at which a character becomes eligible to acquire a skill that can only be
learned by training. The column in which a particular level number appears indicates the cost, in gold pieces per level per week of
training, for the character to acquire the skill.

Self-training
    After a character reaches a certain level,
he may be able to train himself at 1/2 ov
the usual cost. Only weapon proficiencies,
double weapon specialization, and newly
gained spell levels can be self-trained.
Cavaliers, paladins, fighters, rangers,
barbarians, and monks can self-train for a
weapon proficiency (and double weapon
specialization for fighters and rangers)
after they have learned 4 additional
weapons. Clerics, druids, magic-users, and
illusionists can self-train for a new spell
level after learning how to cast 5th-level
spells. Thieves, thief-acrobats, assassins,
and bards never train themselves. A
character cannot train himself in order to
gain special abilities (exception: Druids can
self-train to become Hierophant druids).

The levels after which a character can
train himself are:

Cavalier	9
Paladin	9
Fighter	13
Ranger	13
Barbarian	9
Cleric	9
Druid	9
Magic-user	9
Illusionist	10
Monk	9

    Magic-users and illusionists who train
themselves do not automatically gain a
spell of the new level. In order to train for
the new spell level, at least one spell of
that level must be available to study from,
be it on a scroll or other medium.

Class-by-class enumeration
The following section outlines the training
requirements for each character class.
This is followed by the Training Cost Table,
which shows the levels at which training is
required, and the associated costs of such f
training.

A cavalier needs to train before gaining
a new weapon proficiency. He can train
himself for a new proficiency after reaching
9th level at 1/2 the normal cost. A
cavalier does not need to train in order to
improve his "to hit" bonuses with his
weapons of choice, nor does he need to
train to improve his horsemanship. He
does need to train to improve his attacks
per melee round with a thrusting or striking
weapon.

A paladin needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency and before being
able to turn undead. He can train himself
for a new proficiency after reaching 9th
level at half of the normal cost. The ability
to turn undead must be learned from a
lawful good cleric or another paladin who
already has this ability. A paladin must be
trained before being able to cast cleric
spells and for each new spell level gained.
This must be learned from a cleric or from
another paladin who is able to cast cleric
spells. A paladin does not need to train in
order to improve the ?to hit? bonuses with
his weapons of choice, nor does he need to
train to improve his horsemanship. Training
is not required for a paladin to be able
to call his warhorse. A paladin does not
need to train to improve his attacks per
melee round with a thrusting or striking
weapon.

A fighter needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency or before double
specializing in his chosen weapon. He can
train himself in either of these areas after
reaching 13th level at half of the normal
cost. A fighter does not need to train in
order to improve his attacks per melee
round with a thrusting or striking
weapon.

A ranger needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency or before double
specializing in his chosen weapon. He can
train himself in either of these areas  after
reaching 13th level at 1/2 of the normal
cost. A ranger must be trained before
bing able to cast druid or magic-user
spells and for each new spell level gained.
This must be learned from a druid or
magic-user, or from another ranger who is
able to cast these spells. He does not need
to train to improve his tracking ability.
The ability to use non-written magick items
which pertain to clairaudience, clairvoyance,
ESP, or telepathy requires no training.
A ranger does not need to train in
order to improve his attacks per melee
round with a thrusting or striking
weapon.

A barbarian needs to train before gaining
a new weapon proficiency. He can
train himself for a new proficiency after
reaching 9th level at half of the normal
cost. All of the barbarian?s special abilities
and immunities can be gained without the
need for training.

A cleric needs to train before gaining a
new spell level, or before gaining a new
weapon proficiency. He can train himself
for a new spell level after reaching 9th
level at half of the normal cost. A cleric
does not need to train in order to improve
his ability to turn undead.

A druid needs to train before gaining a
new spell level or before gaining a new
weapon proficiency. He can train himself
for a new spell level after reaching 9th
level at 1/2 the normal cost. A druid
needs to train in order to identify plants,
animals or pure water, or to learn how to
pass through overgrown areas without
leaving a trace. Training is also requird
before a druid can change shape or become
immune to woodland charm. Each of
these must be learned from another druid
who has these abilities. A druid needs to
train for each of the woodland languages
that he is able to learn. Each language can
be learned from someone who can speak
the language to be learned as well as a
language that the druid already understands.

If a druid manages to become the Grand
Druid and decides to step down and become
a Hierophant of the Cabal, then he
must undergo some initial training. He can
always train himself at half of the usual
cost. Further, he must continue to train
before gaining any new weapon proficiencies.
The special abilities that a Hierophant
druid gains require new special training.

A magic-user needs to train before gaining
a new spell level, or before gaining a
new weapon proficiency. He can train
himself for a new spell level after reaching
9th level at half of the normal cost. Train-
ing is also required before the magic-user
can create scrolls and potions; this must
be learned from another magic-user who
already has this ability. The ability to create
magic items must be learned from
another magic-user or from an illusionist
who already has this ability.

An illusionist needs to train before gaining
a new spell level or gaining a new
weapon proficiency. He can train himself
for a new spell level after reaching 11th
level at half of the normal cost. Training is
also required before an illusionist can
create magic items. This must be learned
from another illusionist or a magic-user
who already has this ability.

A thief needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency. He also needs to
train before he can read languages or
decipher scrolls. The ability to read languages
must be learned from another thief
or assassin who already has this ability.
The ability to decipher scrolls must be
learned from another thief, thief-acrobat,
or assassin who already has this ability. A
thief does not need to train in order to
improve his thieving abilities

When a thief initially decides to become
a thief-acrobat, he must undergo some
initial training. This must be learned from
another thief-acrobat. A thief-acrobat
needs to train before gaining a new
weapon proficiency. He also needs to train
before he can decipher scrolls. This ability
must be learned from another thiefacrobat,
thief, or assassin who already has
this ability.

An assassin needs to train before gaining
a new weapon proficiency. He also needs
to train before he can read languages or
decipher scrolls. An assassin does not need
to train in order to better his thieving
skills or assassination ability. The ability to
read languages must be learned from
another assassin or thief who already has
this ability. The ability to decipher scrolls
must be learned from another assassin,
thief, or thief-acrobat who already has this
ability.

A monk needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency. He can train
himself in this area after reaching 9th
level at half of the normal cost. A monk
does not need to train before gaining any
of his special abilities (those lettered A
through K in the Players Handbook), nor
does he need to train to improve his ability
to control a fall, or to improve his thieving
ability.

A bard needs to train before gaining a
new weapon proficiency, including those
learned at first level. He also needs to train
before gaining a new spell level (including
the level gained when he initially becomes
a bard). This must be learned from another
bard, a druid, or a ranger who is
able to cast druid spells. A bard must train
for each of the additional languages that
he is able to learn. Each language can be
learned from anyone who can speak the
language as well as a language that the
bard already understands.

OCTOBER 1986
 
 
 
 
 
 

(from left to right)
Dwyndolyn, the Sylvan Elf Warrior
Esgalduin, the Sea Elf Guardian with magic swan shield (mounted and on foot)
Fealor, the Grey Elf Warrior (mounted and on foot)
by Ral Partha